Dr. A. Gunther on the Geographical Distribution of Reptiles. 221 



Chiridota, Esch. 



1. C. Icevis {Holothuria)y O. Fabr. Greenland, 



2. C. violacea, Peters. Mozambique. 



3. C. 1 purpurea^ Less. Falkland Islands. 



4. C. lumbricus, Esch. I. Radak, Coral Sea. 



5. C. discolor^ Esch. Sitcha, Russian America. 



Myriotrochus, Steenstrup. 

 1. M. Rinkiij Stp. Greenland. 



July 27, 1858.— Dr. Gray, F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. 



On the Geographical Distribution of Reptiles. 

 By Dr. Albert Gunther. 



It was with great pleasure I read Mr. Sclater's paper " On the 

 Geographical Distribution of the Members of the Class Aves," pub- 

 lished in the * Proceedings of the Linnsean Society,' February 1858. 

 And again, in personal interviews with my friend on similar subjects 

 I had often the satisfaction to agree with him in results he had gained 

 from another part of the animal kingdom. But such gratifying re- 

 sults as we find in the aforesaid paper can only be obtained, not 

 merely by an extended knowledge of the whole animal kingdom, but 

 by a complete knowledge of the details of a separate portion of it ; 

 and the reason why all the attempts at a general account of the geo- 

 graphical distribution of animals are not satisfactory enough for the 

 naturalist, is to be found in the circumstance, that the authors were 

 not acquainted in the same degree with every part of the subject 

 treated, as also from our limited knowledge of zoology. Thus I may 

 follow the example of Mr. Sclater and give for the present only an 

 account of the geographical distril)ution of those animals, to the 

 knowledge of which especially I have latterly devoted myself; and 

 often referring to that paper, I shall show how far I can agree with 

 the general views contained therein, and whether these groups of the 

 natural kingdom give us a division of the earth's surface into the 

 same natural provinces. 



Part I. 



On the Geographical Distribution of the Snakes. 



Schlegel, as he first founded philosophical vicAvs in the knowledge 

 of Snakes, first gave an essay on their geographical distribution, 

 showing the exact locality of the species as far as was then possible. 

 He however only pointed out the geographical areas over which the 

 species extend, — certainly the first basis upon which a knowledge of the 

 geographical distribution of the families and genera can be founded. 

 But at that time the much more limited knowledge of specific forms 

 obliged him to establish genera of too great extent ; and in conse- 



